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from Jonathan Turley’s blog
Shocking Love: Police Taser and Pepper Spray Deaf, Mentally Disabled Man for Not Complying With Orders
Published 1, July 28, 2009
Antonio Love failed to heed orders to come out of a bathroom at a Dollar General store, Mobile police used pepper spray and a Taser on him — ultimately arresting him for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and failure to obey a police officer. The problem is that Love, 37, is deaf and mentally disabled.
Store employees called officers complaining that Love had been in the bathroom for more than an hour with the door locked. When Love did not respond to their knocks, police used a tire iron to pry open the door — which Love tried to keep closed. They then used pepper spray and once inside shot him with a taser.
A magistrate refused to accept the charges. Love’s family was never told that he was in custody and has filed a complaint in the case.
Police insist that they did not know about Love’s disabilities until after they dragged him from the bathroom — but they still hit him with a list of criminal charges.
This is not the first such case of a deaf or disabled person tasered or beaten for failure to respond to verbal commands, here and here and here.
A lawsuit is expected in the case.
For the story, click here.
Filed under: News, progressive politics, social & economic justice, US Politics
These stories are really shocking, and very sad. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.
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